Air boom spreader for agricultural product

Abstract

A self-propelled air boom spreader has a container mounted on a frame, the container having a product hopper and a noise-reducing fan assembly compartment therein with a fan assembly including at least a fan and a motor for operating the fan mounted in the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment within the container. The spreader has a product distribution system for receiving product from the hopper and an air system, including the fan assembly, for receiving product from the distribution system and distributing the product to the environment. Situating the fan assembly in the container provides a quieter operating spreader and distributes the center of gravity of the spreader forward to reduce overloading of the rear axle, to avoid overbalancing the spreader at the rear axle and to reduce undesirable torque of the frame at the rear.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A self-propelled air boom spreader comprising:
 a frame; 
 a boom arm extendible transversely to a direction of travel of the self-propelled air boom spreader; 
 a container mounted on the frame, the container having a first hopper situated at a front of the container and a second hopper situated at a rear of the container, the first and second hoppers for containing one or more products to be delivered to an environment around the self-propelled air boom spreader; 
 a product distribution system in product communication with the first and second hoppers for receiving the product from the first and second hoppers; 
 an endless conveyor situated between the first hopper and the product distribution system, the endless conveyor conveying product from the first hopper to the product distribution system; 
 a metering assembly situated between the second hopper and the product distribution system, the metering assembly capable of conveying product from the second hopper to the product distribution system; 
 an intermediate metering chamber between the second hopper and the endless conveyor, the intermediate metering chamber capable of conveying product from the second hopper to the endless conveyor; 
 an air system in product communication with the product distribution system for receiving the product from the product distribution system, the air system comprising
 an air line mounted on the boom arm, the air line connecting the product distribution system to a product outlet situated on the boom arm to permit passage of the product from the product distribution system to the environment through the product outlet, and 
 a fan assembly comprising a fan and a hydraulic motor for operating the fan, the fan in fluid communication with the air line to create air flow in the air line to transport the product from the product distribution system to the product outlet; and, 
 
 a noise-reducing fan assembly compartment situated within the container between the first hopper and the second hopper, the fan assembly mounted in the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment within the container, at least a portion of the endless conveyor capable of conveying product longitudinally in the container under the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment, and metering assembly capable of conveying product vertically in the container rearward of the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment. 
 
     
     
       2. The spreader of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate metering chamber is situated between the second hopper and the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment. 
     
     
       3. The spreader of  claim 1 , wherein the fan assembly further comprises a main duct fluidly connecting the fan to the air line, the main duct situated between and beneath two portions of the second hopper. 
     
     
       4. The spreader of  claim 1 , wherein the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment comprises a peaked ceiling. 
     
     
       5. A self-propelled air boom spreader comprising:
 a frame; 
 a boom arm extendible transversely to a direction of travel of the self-propelled air boom spreader; 
 a container mounted on the frame, the container having a hopper for containing a product to be delivered to an environment around the self-propelled air boom spreader; 
 a product distribution system in product communication with the hopper for receiving the product from the hopper; 
 an air system in product communication with the product distribution system for receiving the product from the product distribution system, the air system comprising
 an air line mounted on the boom arm, the air line connecting the product distribution system to a product outlet situated on the boom arm to permit passage of the product from the product distribution system to the environment through the product outlet, and 
 a fan assembly comprising a fan and a motor for operating the fan, the fan in fluid communication with the air line to create air flow in the air line to transport the product from the product distribution system to the product outlet, 
 
 
       wherein the container comprises a noise-reducing fan assembly compartment within the container and the fan assembly is mounted in the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment within the container. 
     
     
       6. The spreader of  claim 5 , wherein the fan assembly further comprises a main duct fluidly connecting the fan to the air line, the main duct situated between and beneath two portions of the hopper. 
     
     
       7. The spreader of  claim 5 , wherein the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment comprises an air intake port fluidly connecting the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment with an exterior environment around the container. 
     
     
       8. The spreader of  claim 5 , wherein the hopper comprises a first hopper situated at a front of the container and a second hopper situated at a rear of the container, wherein the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment is situated between the first hopper and the second hopper. 
     
     
       9. The spreader of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an endless conveyor situated between the first hopper and the product distribution system, the endless conveyor conveying product from the first hopper to the product distribution system; and, 
 a metering assembly situated between the second hopper and the product distribution system, the metering assembly capable of conveying product from the second hopper to the product distribution system. 
 
     
     
       10. The spreader of  claim 9 , further comprising an intermediate metering chamber between the second hopper and the endless conveyor, the intermediate metering chamber capable of conveying product from the second hopper to the endless conveyor. 
     
     
       11. The spreader of  claim 10 , wherein the intermediate metering chamber is situated between the second hopper and the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment. 
     
     
       12. The spreader of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the endless conveyor conveys product longitudinally in the container under or through the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment. 
     
     
       13. The spreader of  claim 9 , wherein the metering assembly comprises meter rollers that are capable of conveying product vertically in the container rearward of the noise-reducing fan assembly compartment. 
     
     
       14. The spreader of  claim 5 , wherein the product distribution system comprises a plurality of funnels, the air line comprises a plurality of airlines and the product outlet comprises a plurality of product outlets, the plurality of funnels distributes the product to the plurality of air lines for distribution to the plurality of product outlets. 
     
     
       15. The spreader of  claim 5 , wherein the boom arm comprises two boom arms, a first boom arm extendible transversely to a first side of the frame and a second boom arm extendible transversely to an opposed second side of the frame.